CHEROKEE COUNTY, Okla. - An investigation is underway after a hunter was shot in Cherokee County last Friday.

According to the sheriff's office, the 27-year-old man was shot in the upper arm and shoulder area as he and his father exited a wooded area near Welling in eastern Cherokee County.

Deputies say the man was driven to a Tahlequah hospital by his father and later transferred to a Tulsa hospital for treatment.

Residents in the area where the shooting occurred reported seeing a red Dodge four-door pickup truck, according to sheriff's deputies. Investigators are seeking the truck's driver and any possible passengers for information related to the shooting.

"It does seem random," said Cherokee County Undersheriff Jason Chennault. "My message to whoever did this would be the further time goes by, the worse it's going to be for them."

Assisting deputies with the investigation are game wardens with the Oklahoma Wildlife Department. Evidence is currently being analyzed.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at (918) 456-2583 and ask to speak with Investigator James Brown or Undersheriff Jason Chennault.

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